Er.Rajesh Pathak
Navdha-Bhakti, as expounded in Ramcharitramanas, originally consists of the nine ways of devotion to God. But during medieval period there came to be added in this Navdha Bhakti one more cult of devotion in virtue of Ramanand Swami. Known as Madhurya Bhakti, in this tenth cult Bhakta[devotee], having no other desire, loves God only for the love’s sake. Later on, when the devotees of the cult swelled to a sizeable numbers, they formed their own separate sect to be known as Rasik- Sampradaya. Born in 1399 A.D. near Mughalsarai, Ravidas, a cobbler by cast, was one of the great saints belonging to the Rasik-Sampradaya; others were Kabir, Dhanna, Sain, Pipa, Padmavati etc. – all from depressed class, and initiated by Ramanand Swami.
It is believed that since Ravidas’s parents were in close proximity of Ramananda Swami and held him on high esteem, he graced them with the child Ravidas by the power of his ‘Tapa’ [austerity]. And, as the time passed, the influence of Ramananda Swami on the family manifested more and more in Ravidas, who began to incline more towards Bhakti; so much so that the parents grew concerned about the future of the son. And, they deputed him in the family business and even married him, thinking it might divert his mind to physical world. But not much effect this was to make on Ravidas. And he continued to earn the knowledge of Vedas, Upnishads and so on in the divine proximity of Ramananda, though doing the ancestral profession of footwear with that. Whenever he would get a chance he accompanied Swamiji in participating religious polemics then held from place to place. Then, also such a time came when even the greatest of contemporary sages began to surrender himself before Ravidas in such polemics.
The tales of Ravidasa’s spiritual wisdom soon spread all around, and when they fall on the ears of the king of Kashi, he invited him to his palace. So mesmerised the king got to be to encounter the splendor in the Bhakti of Ravidas that he offered him the highest honor of royal-priest, one privileged with performing of ceremonial worship of Lord Rama of royal-temple. But this unprecedented step led to deep discontentment and jealousy among the orthodox Brahmins, as none other than Brahmin could have ascended to this supreme holy seat till then. There goes a very interesting legend regarding this episode: Seeing that the Brahmins would not so easily be pacified, Ravidas offered them a challenge that whoever by virtue of his Bhakti would be able to call Thakur [statue of Ram] near himself from the temple he would have privilege to be seated on the palanquin and be taken around the Kashi by others giving their shoulders to the palanquin. And, when one by one all the Brahmins tried and failed to do so, Ravidas through the sheer miracle of his intense Bhakti appeased Lord Rama and had him sit on his laps. Thus, according to the bet, the Brahmins, all their ego drained off, gave their shoulders to the palanquin, with Ravidas seated majestically on it, and took it around the city.
Ravidas by now had attained that divine state that the people of all the hues began to throng from far flung places to hear his religious discourses. Far ahead of his contemporaries in knowledge and outlook both, he laid great emphasis on removing all kind of distinctions in religious and social affairs in his discourses. Rejecting the exclusivist approach to Dharma, he preached that Moksha could be attained through either of the paths- Sakara or Nirakara. Being spiritual, he was, matter of fact, above the worldly bondage, yet he was not detached to the national exigencies of his time. Deeply hurt with the plight of Hindus then, he unequivocally condemned Mughals for treating them [Hindus] as Kafirs. So also, adoring the value of freedom, he called the slavery a sin.
It was the time when Rana Sangha was the king of Chittorgarha. Once, with his wife, Ratnakuwari Jhali, he visited Kashi to have holy dip of Ganga. When he came to knew of Ravidasji from the folk there, they came to join the Satsang [religious congregation] held by him. Divine bliss which they realised in virtue of Satsang left such a deep impression on them that then and there they accepted Ravidas ji as their Guru, and invited him to Chittorgarh as a royal- guest. And, later on, there came many occasions when Ravidas ji kept visiting there. And from these visits born the great devotee of Krishna, Mirabai- the daughter-in-law of Rani Jhali. It is said that Ravidas was the first to lay the seed of devotion in Mirabai. Lastly, Ravidas made Chittorgarh his permanent home on the request of Rani Jhali. And there one day this great soul departed to heavenly abode.
